Broccoli Cheese Soup
on Feb 18, 2023, Updated Mar 10, 2025
This homemade Broccoli Cheese Soup recipe is comfort food in a bowl and tastes just like Panera Bread’s soup!
One of my favorite soups to order at Panera is the Broccoli Cheese Soup.
There’s just nothing like a big steamy thick and creamy bowl of soup especially in a bread bowl!
I knew I needed to recreate it myself at home and I’m happy to say that my version tastes just as good as the original!
This easy soup recipe is made in a dutch oven.
Serve this cozy soup with baguettes for a hearty and delicious dinner that feels like a hug in a bowl!
It’s one of my favorite vegetarian soups, along with my homemade creamy vegetable soup.
What is broccoli cheese soup made of?
It’s so easy to make homemade broccoli cheese soup. Here are the ingredients that you will need and a few notes that you may find helpful.
- Butter
- Flour: this will help thicken the soup.
- Fresh garlic and onion: do not skip these! They are key to that rich flavor.
- Milk
- Heavy cream: this really amps up the creamy texture of the soup.
- Vegetable broth: or substitute chicken broth.
- Broccoli florets: fresh broccoli is a must in soup as you do not want it to be mushy.
- Sharp cheddar cheese: freshly grated is always best and melts better too. Don’t skip grating this from a block yourself!
- Salt: Depending on what ingredients you end up using, I suggest salting your soup to taste at the very end.
How to make broccoli cheddar soup
Step 1: Melt the butter over medium heat in a dutch oven or large sauce pan. Add the onions and cook them down until softened.
Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. You want those onions to be nice and caramelized.
Step 2: Add the flour to the onion mixture and stir constantly until it starts to brown, around 3-5 minutes.
Step 3: Pour in the milk, vegetable broth, and heavy cream, stirring constantly, until smooth, around 15 minutes or so.
Step 4: Add the finely diced broccoli florets and simmer for 15 minutes, until tender.
Step 5: Turn the heat down and stir in the fresh grated cheddar cheese.
Recipe Tip
Always grate your cheese fresh from a block when making soup. Packaged shredded cheese have added anti clumping ingredients which cause the cheese to not melt as well. Fresh grated cheese is also more flavorful!
Stir the broccoli cheese soup until the cheese is completely melted and creamy, around 5 minutes or so.
Once your soup is done, add salt to taste and serve immediately.
This soup is so thick, ultra creamy, and so flavorful.
I crave nourishing warm soups on cold days or whenever I’m not feeling well.
This better than panera broccoli cheese soup is a favorite in our house!
We love serving it with rolls or baguettes for dipping.
This would also be delicious in a homemade bread bowl!
Joy’s Tip
Prepping your ingredients before you begin cooking the soup will make the process go a lot smoother.
I suggest chopping and measuring everything out beforehand, that way you have it all ready to go for the next cooking step.
Can I use frozen broccoli?
I would not recommend frozen broccoli in this recipe as it would end up mushy and watery. Fresh broccoli is key to making delicious broccoli and cheddar soup.
Storing Leftover Soup
Leftover soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
I do not recommend freezing broccoli cheese soup. Most soups containing cream can separate or become grainy if frozen then reheated.
You have to try this copycat better than Panera Bread broccoli cheese soup! It is sure to be a family dinner favorite.
Broccoli Cheese Soup
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ yellow onion, finely diced
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk
- 32 oz vegetable broth
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 2 ½ cups finely chopped broccoli florets, around 1 ½ heads
- 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
- ¾ teaspoon salt, or salt to taste
Instructions
- Melt the butter over medium heat in a dutch oven or large pot.
- Add the onions and cook them until softened and translucent.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Add the flour to the onion mixture and stir constantly until it starts to brown (3-5 minutes).
- Pour in the milk, vegetable broth, and heavy cream. Stir constantly, until smooth (around 13-15 minutes).
- Add the finely diced broccoli florets and simmer for 15 minutes, until tender.
- Turn the heat down and stir in the cheese until completely melted (around 5 minutes).
- Salt the soup to taste and serve.
I used half and half instead if heavy cream. A really delicious reciepe.
This recipe was excellent! We have a new grandbaby at our house, so lots and lots of guests for dinner we made the soup sat around the fire pit with garlic bread, and it was the absolute best dinner! Warm, comfort, food! Thank you so much, Joy
So glad your sweet family enjoyed the recipe!
Absolutely delicious!!! Served in homemade sourdough bread bowls and I felt I was sitting right there at Panera – except at home by a fire. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. It is going into my special recipes book. :0-)
So glad you enjoyed the recipe Trish!